The Fleet Air Arm in the Second World War, Volume II, 1942-1943 by Ben Jones

Author:Ben Jones [Jones, Ben]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781351130851
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2018-06-13T00:00:00+00:00

135. Report of Enquiry by Director of Naval Construction1

[ADM 1/12605]

4 January 1943

Loss of HMS Avenger, 15 November 1942

LOSS OF AVENGER

Informal Enquiry into the Cause

In accordance with Controller’s instructions on M.O.14847/42 I have interviewed the twelve survivors from AVENGER. I have also seen copies of signals sent by AMAZON, WRESTLER, AUKLAND, MACHARDA and Captain D.1. and a report from ULSTER MONARCH.

Conclusion – that AVENGER was struck by a torpedo at about 75 frame on the port side and that this caused the Bomb Room to explode.

Evidence on which this conclusion is based

(a) The only survivor suitably placed to observe, indicated the torpedo hit at about 75 frame which is abreast the Bomb Room (69–85).

(b) The Bomb Room runs right across the ship. It contained 500 lbs. and 250 lbs. S.A.P. bombs, 40 lbs. G.P. bombs, depth charges and smoke floats.

(c) All the survivors (except one) were from the after end of the ship abaft frame 140. From the forward end of the ship to frame 75 is 173ft. 6ins. From 75 to 140 frame is 162ft. 6ins. From 140 frame to the after end is 129 ft. There were no survivors in the forward 336ft. of the ship whose total length was 465 ft.

(d) ULSTER MONARCH describes – “a vivid red flash on the starboard side of AVENGER stretching the whole length of the ship and lasting for about two seconds. This flash made a perfect silhouette of the ship and was followed by a pall of black smoke.”

The vivid red flash of short duration followed by black smoke suggests an explosion of T.N.T. or some such similar substance.

(e) AVENGER disappeared entirely within three minutes of the explosion. It may have been even less than two minutes.

(f) None of the ten survivors from inside the ship saw any flash or fire thus confirming that it was a flash of short duration as distinct from a fire. The two survivors from the Flight Deck saw the flash.

(g) It is reasonably certain that it was not a petrol explosion for the following reasons:

(i) Four survivors were immediately over the petrol stowage compartment.

(ii) Ten survivors escaped by walking along the deck immediately under the Hangar.

(iii) There was no smell of petrol in the ship.

(iv) An explosive mixture of petrol and air would take a considerable time to form. The explosive range is 1.5 per cent to 12 per cent of petrol in air, but with a 0.1 per cent petrol/air mixture there is a very strong smell of petrol. At the extremes of the range the explosion would be very weak – a violent explosion would probably not occur except over the range of about 4 per cent to 8 per cent of petrol in air.

In LIVERPOOL a petrol explosion occurred about half an hour after a torpedo hit. In LEXINGTON the first petrol explosion occurred over an hour after the attack and the most violent petrol explosion occurred nine hours after the attack.

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